Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-04-08
REV. E. w. wHITNEY's PARTING
WISH"

An audience that filled the Universdlist
evening to hear the final one Of the eight
annual series of lectures delivered to the
young people by Rev f. W. Whitney
These lectures have included diversity of
subjects, the audiences attracted have been
large, and they have exerted powerful
influence toward the upbuilding of the COM
munity, both intellectually and spiritually
The text was taken from the third epis-
tie of John, Chap. l. ?: Beloved, pray
that in all things thou mayst prosper and
be in good health 1t is the usual custom,
Mr.. Whitney said, when persons are pre-
pairing to 90 away, to wish their friends
success and joy, and to express sorrow be
cause of their departure. 1t is, therefore,
from the nature of the case that / would
tonight consider some of the blessings |
desire for you and for which | earnestly
pray that you may strive, ! heartily wish
for you these closing words OF the text, that
thou mayest be in good health. Bodily Wig
or is certainly essential to any great work
or to much Of the enjoyment of life, All
are liable the young especially, To expose
themselves in way detrimental to their
physical being. BY obeying what we know
TO be the laws Of health and by properly
outstanding our strength we may secure
ourselves against the ravages of disease.
We should remember that the body is the
/ temple of the Holy Spirit and as such it is
our bounden duty to consider and guard it.
1t was his second desire that the people
prosper in work. There are men to whom
their work is not factor of enjoyment 4,
but these are the unskillful workmen and
the ones who take no pride in what they do
How much more happy is the man who
is satisfied with his work and whose en-
ployer praises his skill than is he b. whom
his work is distasteful and who is scold-
ed rs u bunger, 1t is true that there is
a vein of what is called luck a man may
SOW his very best, but blight, drouth and
storms will destroy his crops; this, how
ever, is seldom the case, for as "a rule we
reap as we sow. BE earnest aud peisever-
ing in your work. Let your motto be,
whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with all thy might
The third wish was that the people might
grow in mind. As the body grnws from
the food which we take day by day, even
so does the mind from our daily study and
observation, IL the mind is fed ON useless
novels and scandals it is but natural that il
should be weakened. Whatsoever you read
make it your own. But AZ to the books tc
read, there is no cast-iron rule. Read those
that are interesting to you and for which
you have natural taste. Do not he d
book worm; know something outside OF
books, Much can be learned by well-direct
ed conversation. Use your eyes aud ears
Sir Walter Scott said that you might tax,
it for granted that every man you met knew
more than you did ON some subject, and i
was because of this that Scott gained from
the humble peasant those stores of Scottish
legend that he so used in poem and move
that he made his name illustrious
Fourthly, the speaker desired the peopl,
TO grow in soul, There is not so much il
} furniture and pomp as in q soul full O
; spiritual richness To harren soul al
things are desolate hut To a soul rich il
! spiritual graces all things yield an abun
, dant blessing, The poet is right when h
says;
Thou seest no beauty save thou make II first
Man woman, nature, each IL but glass
Where the soul sees the image of herself
Those who are strong in faith, rich i
5 Christian sympathy and love, gain from lif
i a sweetness and joy else impossible. T
such even pain and the darker ministrie
of life yield an ample blessing. Cultivat
/, the best within you and gain those spiritua
treasures which neither moth or rust ca
|. destroy.
6 Finally, lead helpful life God mad
u everything TO be useful even the smalles
! objects have their ministries, while fror
God himself streams of blessing flow i